From the longer list, 'Y Ddraig Goch / The Red Dragon' has now been used on 197004, though not as a result of this competition, and 'Deva Victrix' is on Northern 195104.
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Transport for Wales Class 231 / 756 FLIRTs
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GW43125
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According to RTT, 231002 has escaped onto Merthyr/Aberdares vice a 756. How often does this end up happening?
twpsaesneg
Member
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Seems to be covering for 150252 after a set swap at Cardiff Central. So not vice 756.
Realtime Trains | 1A16 0838 Merthyr Tydfil to Aberdare | 10/12/2024
Real-time train running information for 1A16 0838 departure from Merthyr Tydfil to Aberdare on 10/12/2024. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.
www.realtimetrains.co.uk
At the time they said that the intention was to use all of them.
It's beginning to look as if they've changed their mind though.
They did occasionally run on the lines through Pontypridd before the 756s started.
Rick1984
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Wonder if Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch was submitted?
Would probably run the length of train!
Would probably run the length of train!
anthony263
Established Member
Supposed to be 3 diagrams daily now
StripeyNick
Member
108 making it's debut in service today
CapitalStar378
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Are there insufficient trained drivers to put more into service now? There are a lot sat idling when the 150s could be taking over from 197s on a few routes.
tfw756rider
Member
Thanks for the update
Now 9 (out of 24) 756s have been in service (in unit number order):1-9: 756105/106/107/108/111/114/115/116/117 (4-coach units)
So it's now 15 (out of 24) 756s that haven't yet been in service:
1-7: 756001/002/003/004/005/006/007 (3-coach units)
8-15: 756101/102/103/104/109/110/112/113 (4-coach units)
With the 58th 197 also entering service today (17/12/24), this means that 78 of TfW Rail's 148 brand new trains have now been in service (58 197s, 11 231s and 9 756s), with 70 still to enter service (19 197s, 36 398s and 15 756s).
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1D54
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Fantastic info tfw756rider. An excellent guide to when a trip to Cardiff needs planning. Thank you.
According to RTT, it did the 1713 Cardiff to Aberdare and return yesterday.
StripeyNick
Member
Apparently it was allocated but ended up having issues on shed making it missing that working
Express380
Member
It did do it on Monday I travelled on it at 19:05 from Taffs Well
StripeyNick
Member
Thanks. I have updated my records accordingly. An initial post I'd seen read that it was going to head out but it was clear if it did
TT-ONR-NRN
Veteran Member
Roll out still rather slow then.
I don’t think anything’s been announced on that.
Yes, certainly not a big-bang transition. Seems a similar pace to the 231 rollout.
Philip Roberts
Member
Did I read somewhere that it's planned to be 14 a day in service by the spring?
Looks like only two out of three today - 111 and 114 are working, and there’s a load of cancellations marked as “train swapped” in RTT.
Back in October, TfW also put out a press release saying that “new trains” would appear on the Coryton line “from Spring 2025” but more recent comes has rowed back on that a little, with there being talk of Coryton and Rhymney going electric from late 2025. I suspect this is just expectation management.
Yes - that’s stated in an article in Rail Express this month, but it comes from a TfW press release. Rail Express also says that four units a day should be in service by the end of December.
Back in October, TfW also put out a press release saying that “new trains” would appear on the Coryton line “from Spring 2025” but more recent comes has rowed back on that a little, with there being talk of Coryton and Rhymney going electric from late 2025. I suspect this is just expectation management.
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56xx
Member
Down to one now 111 has failed at Cardiff Central
Envoy
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So, now nearly Christmas and about 5 weeks since the first 756 in service and we only have one running this afternoon. Yesterday, they cancelled the Ebbw Vale to Newport service because of “a shortage of trains”. If they had damn well got these 756’s into service they would not have had a shortage of trains for the diesel routes.
TT-ONR-NRN
Veteran Member
Yes, it’s ironic, and I refer again to the smug banners still in evidence at Queen Street which say “90% of our whole fleet will be brand new trains by 2023,“ two weeks before 2025 and 80s Sprinters are still the most common stock through the station.
CapitalStar378
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Whilst I feel a lot of goodwill towards TfW, I'm getting an increasing nagging feeling that they are not competent in many aspects of their operations. The Bay line is not finished 2 years on, the 398 mystery, Crwys Rd station not started and the 756s, (which have been tested to death) sit around Barry/Canton, while 2 car 150s and 1 or 2 car 153s still run most of the Valleys services into 2025.
BillStampy
Member
To be fair, Covid did put the entire plan out the window in terms of timescales; the work required was likely unable to be progressed upon during the time period (I'm not an expert on this, don't hold me to it) and has pushed back the project a few years. Although, Transport for Wales should try get a move on with the 150s having their days counted.
TT-ONR-NRN
Veteran Member
Exactly.
Envoy
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They have had those 756’s sitting around since summer 2023. Several months have now passed since the electrification was complete on the central valleys lines (everything that goes through Radyr) and all they can manage today is one electric train out in service. Meanwhile, the passengers are still rammed into 2 car 150’s.
Is it really such a big training deal to convert from a Class 231 FLIRT to a Class 756 FLIRT? The driver does not even have to press a button to lower the pantograph when coming off the wires as it happens automatically. TFW are really dragging their feet.
Is it really such a big training deal to convert from a Class 231 FLIRT to a Class 756 FLIRT? The driver does not even have to press a button to lower the pantograph when coming off the wires as it happens automatically. TFW are really dragging their feet.
Markdvdman
Member
The 150s are not ageing well. If they are a few mins late from Cardiff to TAM, they just get worse down the line. Being rammed also does not help at all. TFW are running out of excuses, the covid excuse has long gone as with others. Remember when they said 'fares WILL come down' with the tram trains - suddenly dropped, like many other promises. I use them heavily but if I had other choices I would take them!
87electric
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A wheelchair passenger requested one of those short portable ramps to access 756114 today at Cardiff Central. They weren’t comfortable with the non level train extending ramp itself. There is probably a half inch height difference where the front wheels might have difficulty.